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How to Prevent Outdoor Signs From Fading

Rosallee Scott

Outdoor signs serve many purposes. Some can advertise businesses or items for sale. Others are purely decorative, announcing the family or estate name. They can also add whimsy to walkways, paths and gardens or other landscaping projects. In order to prevent them from fading, proper preparation has to be taken, as well as maintenance measures in some cases.

Outdoor signs can be informative or just plain fun.
    Outdoor signs are mostly made from laminate, wood, or aluminum.
  1. Choose the right material for your region and environment if you having signs custom made. As Tanya Bredehoft, owner of Artefact Design, puts it in her article "Choosing Materials for Outdoor Signs," "Planning is especially important in choosing materials for outdoor signs, since they will be subjected to a variety of site-specific environmental factors including weather, graffiti, pollution, wild animals and even target practice." Options include everything from a hard laminate to aluminum to treated and untreated wood.

  2. Use a preserver before you paint a wood sign to make the design last longer.
  3. Use a wood preserver before you prime and paint on wood. This will help the paint bond to the wood better and last longer. Finish it with a polyurethane or other sealer meant to protect outdoor signs from fading, peeling and cracking.

  4. Only use outdoor paint that is meant for the material of the sign.
  5. Buy a paint meant for use outdoors when painting a laminate or metal sign. Each has different types of paint that bond better and last longer on specific types of material.

  6. Hang signs in areas that away from direct sunlight if possible.
  7. Place the signs in a shady area if at all possible to reduce the risk of fading from sunlight. If they are not sealed, care should also be taken to not place them in areas that will have constant liquids dripping on them, such as water dripping from gutters or sap from trees.

  8. Bring decorative signs indoors inside to prevent the design from fading or being damaged.
  9. Prevent outdoor signs from fading in the harsher elements by bringing them in during the winter months. Cold can cause the sealant to crack, exposing the design underneath to damage.